While he spoke, Mr. Carmichael opened the case of the instrument, and
adjusted the mechanism inside. Immediately afterwards, to my
astonishment, the box suddenly left his hands, and flew, or rather
glided, swiftly through the air, and must have dashed itself against the
wall of the laboratory had not its master run and caught it.

"Wonderful!" I exclaimed, forgetting the attitude of caution and reserve
which I had deemed it prudent to adopt.

The inventor laughed with childish glee, enjoying his triumph, and
stroking the case as though it were a kitten.

"It would be off again if I would let it. Whoa, there!" said he, again
adjusting the mechanism. "I can make it rise, or sink, or steer, to one
side or the other, just as I please. If you will kindly hold it for a
minute, I will make it go up to the ceiling. Don't be afraid, it won't
bite you."

I took the uncanny little instrument in my hands, whilst Mr. Carmichael
ascended a ladder to a kind of loft in the shed. It only weighed a few
pounds, and yet I could feel it exerting a strong force to escape.

"Ready!" cried the inventor, "now let go," and sure enough, the box rose
steadily upwards until it came within his grasp. "I am going to send it
down to you again," he continued, and I expected to see it drop like a
stone to the ground; but, strange to say, it circled gracefully through
the air in a spiral curve, and landed gently at my feet.

"You see I have entire control over it," said Mr. Carmichael, rejoining
me; "but all you have seen has taken place in air, and you might,